Complications
by ejunkie
Summary: A drabble set, frequently based on prompts and word limits, regarding the general complications that arise during time-traveling quests. InuKag, SessKag. Latest: Beached - two strangers forced together in awkward circumstances, seek shelter from a storm.
1. Optimism

**Complications**

_Disclaimer: I do not own this little _romp_ of a feudal adventure, or it's characters. Kudos to Rumiko Takahashi_, for the amusements she has provided us with. ;D

This is my new short drabble set, which will be based on prompts and either at, or around, set word limits, regarding the general complications that arise during the progress of time-traveling quests.

These updates may be sporadic, _but full of love._

**FIRST**: BATHING HABITS

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><p><em>Concerning<em>: _Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo. (mention of the frigid bastard – ahem, the killing perfection.)_  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Early on in their feudal adventure, Inuyasha comes to terms with the strange habits of his new ward.  
><strong>Prompt<strong>: Optimism

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><p><strong>Bathing Habits<strong>

"…Kagome. How come you smell so sweet?"

Blushing, the young student woman looked startled towards the dog demon that perched, leaning a little too close for comfort a short few feet away from her. He was… complimenting her?

His nose twitched, a grimace working his face into a small frown. The unnatural abilities of this strange human weirded him out. It was too demon, too… youkai, her cleanliness to begin with, but not even Inuyasha's natural abilities could keep him smelling that good. It was too much… like his brother for his liking. Clear amber darkened for a moment, before he quickly shook the thought off with clash of teeth. No, there was no way the two of them could be linked in this way.

…Still.

"Seriously, woman. We've been travelling for… nearly 4 sun cycles, and you..." Ignorant of the burgeoning flush that inched steadily across the delicate features, Inuyasha leaned further in, sniffing for the origin of the smell, before arriving at the eventual conclusion: her hair. The scent was… sweet. Like fruit – some kind of berry, though one that he had never come across during his travels – making it possible to originate from the mainland.

"Eugh."

Snagging a strand closer, he pressed it closer, inhaling deeply, memorising the scent in case he ever came across it again, namely, from that damn bastard brother of his. The bastard was all too fond of the mainland, incorporating part of those lands into his hunting grounds if he recollected the strong scent of his marked territory; and in the least, the disgusting scent could come in useful for marking his presence…-

"Ow!"

Falling to the side as his train of thought was shattered, Inuyasha instinctively grabbed forward at the blur of orange that leapt from his vision, grasping the thick furry of tail of one struggling, indignant Kitsune. Lips twisting into a snarl, he failed to notice the bright red woman that scooted speedily back from the spot they had shared not a moment before, the words 'Osuwari' dying on her lips.

"Don't you dare insult Okāsan, you stupid good-for-nothing hanyou!"

"_Shut up, _baby."

Unnoticed, Kagome's head sank down into her hands. She was steadily arriving at the conclusion that she had been stupidly optimistic to assume that anything that came from that demon would be _polite_.


	2. Core

**Complications**

_Disclaimer: I do not own this little _romp_ of a feudal adventure, or it's characters. Kudos to Rumiko Takahashi_, for the amusements she has provided us with. ;D

This is my new short drabble set, which will be based on prompts and either at, or around, set word limits, regarding the general complications that arise during the progress of time-traveling quests.

These updates may be sporadic, _but full of love._

**SECOND**: BITTER-SWEET ENDINGS

_Concerning the observations of a brother,_ _Inuyasha and Kagome._  
><strong>Summary<strong>: An unconnected alternate ending to a love story. When Higurashi Kagome had not returned through the well over half a millenia ago, a smitten half-demon had pledged to wait  
><strong>Prompt<strong>: Core

**Notes: **I haven't had this much trouble to complete a story this short through _heartbreak_ in a long while. Also, this is an old tradition taken up by a large majority of families in Japan, as according to my research – at least in the latter few centuries, the name of a spouse carved and painted in red will share their loved ones grave after death. Inuyasha, assumedly spending more time in the modern world then his brother, would have heard of it, and chosen to follow it.

**Bitter-sweet endings.**

The unremitting darkness of the night was peaceful, undisturbed by it's inhabitants in the absence of the moon and the late of the season, making it easy for Sesshoumaru to find his brother amidst the tall plinths that marked the modern humans grave.

His brother had waited for over half a millennia to be reunited with her. After she had not returned through the well, and the aged portal, already cracked from disuse, had grown more forlorn and damaged as had the held hopes of the foolish hanyou, after the first century of expectant waiting, the unyielding, stubborn _boy_ had pledged to wait.

Quiet at his post, disguised and hardly breathing in the scent of modern humanity, subtle gold switched from the breaking man to the heart, the core of the mans life for the past centuries, the brief, sweet scent of the woman that lingered in the air fading as fast as his half-brothers light.

The gilded characters were short and succinct in their declaration: _Higurashi_, _Kagome. _The clean surface of the stone was marred beside it, where roughly hewn characters coated in a red that he could smell to be the blood of his brother from where he stood, declared; 'Inuyasha'.

"So, this is why she did not return to you those years ago, hanyou. This Kagome… she could not."

Human life really was as short and bitter-sweet as Rin's own had been. The bitter-sweet mess that turned the Hanyou near-insane on the cusp of the sixth century of his wait, the driving force behind this _mans _scourge of the lengths of his rapidly changing territory, the lands changed into _Nippon,_ to find her.

"…Sesshoumaru."

"This _human_ woman was cremated, hanyou."

"You know that was... not my meaning, Sesshoumaru. Draw _your_ weapon, _your _sword. Bakusaiga."

The sheer desperation and madness glistened vividly in the dark depths of deep hazel as they turned to their once-brother, the humanity in his body stark in the absence of the new moon in the night. At his hesitation, the spark inside the man seemed to take light and reawaken, flaring to life in long-dead eyes, as brother faced down brother, blunt nails raking down the elders side to grasp the sword's sheath.

"You once said my life was yours. Well, here it is, now. Kill me, you bastard!"

And this ending too, it seemed, was to be bitter-sweet.

"As you wish… brother."


	3. Beached by a Storm: Part one

**BEACHED IN A STORM - part one.**

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><p><strong><em>Sesshoumaru x Kagome<em>  
><strong>

**AN**/ this was the product of the DDN at the SessKag community Dokuga, 10 drabble prompts, 100 words apiece. This has been continued, and will be updated in 1000 word chapters of several prompt, the up-to-date version can be found at my username, Ejunkie, on Dokuga.

**Disclaimer: **Inuyasha belongs to the gorgeous Rumiko Takahashi.

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><p><em>Bleeding heart, Bachelors button, Honeysuckle, Cockscomb.<em>

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><p><em><strong>Bleeding<strong>_

They were both bleeding when they had arrived at the dark nook that could serve as shelter, and both looking to escape the storm that split the furious sky above like white-blue hellfire.

Sodden, and feeling as if she was carrying her body weight in water, Kagome had not noticed the other unfortunate traveler as she collapsed onto the dry stone, almost deliriously happy for it's relief from the pounding.

Golden eyes watched in silence from their close, crouching seat, tasting the scent of human blood on the air, as clawed hands clutched an empty sleeve. The negligible space ached.

_xxxxx_

_**Heart**_

Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness, her limbs tingling with the relief as the remaining weight of her fears and worries lifted, easing their pain from her back and allowing her the first proper breath since she had started running.

Easing herself slowly upwards, she glanced back towards the entrance, eying the midsummer storm longingly for the comforting yellow of her bag, and her _clothes._

Regardless, her heart was lighter for the shelter, and with a tired smile, she dragged herself to her feet, removing the wet remains of her clothes with a delighted shiver.

"Off with the wet!"

_xxxxx_

_**Button**_

A quiet cough froze her movements halfway down the neat line of buttons of her shirt, the wet fabric clinging damply to her skin as wide, startled eyes skimmed the small area, halting at the _familiar_ yellow gleam in the dark.

_"Sesshoumaru..?"_

Her mind blanking in pure shock, Kagome fingers had continued on autopilot down the length of her top, revealing the soft pink vest shirt beneath, before she finally released the ties and promptly shafted the fabric to the floor.

Kneeling, she proceeded to remove her waterlogged trainers and socks. If she was to die, she'd rather do so _dry_.

_xxxxx_

_**Cocks**_.

Something in this man, when she had been given the opportunity to examine him close up, reminded her of a long forgotten memory of a visit to the Tokyo zoo – of an old Cockerel. Although - it wasn't his pride, that burned with arrogant zealous in his eyes, or the graceful, bird-like posture he had taken across from her at such a short distance.

She had it when, without a moment's pause or warning, he had closed the distance between them, grasping her hair with eyes that burned a brilliant gold; he had the element of unpredictable _danger_.

She _hated_ roosters.

_xxxxx_

_**Honey**_

His fingers never seemed to completely leave her hair, unfortunately, after his initial perusal of her 'potential assets'. Under her flabbergasted stare, the cornered woman watched as he brought the handful he had managed to snag before she stopped him to his nose.

After a long, slow sniff, the amber eyes slid languidly over to hers, in question.

"This smell is unnatural."

Indignation rose up in her chest like a flurry of angry wasps, and she had to bite back a growled snarl in reply. She was exhausted, and he insulted her hair. "Like hell. It's honey and peach blossom."

_xxxxx_

_**Bachelor**_

"Why…" Her hair slid smoothly between his fingers, a small smile of bemusement tweaking the edge of smooth lips. Softly, the rough pads of his fingers massaged the strands, assuaging the silken texture, as a fine cloth seller might, before they withdrew with an air of dissatisfaction. "Would anybody be interested in this?"

"This, Sesshoumaru, is why you will be an _eternal_ bachelor."

The soft gleam of his smirk grew, despite the fact he couldn't have the faintest idea what a bachelor was; and she remained the butt of the joke.

Damn that demon and his ability to _do that_.

_xxxxx_

_**Suckle**_

Glancing away from her impromptu companion only drew her attention back to her hands, the sores that scarred her pale fingers throbbing immediately under the attention. With a hushed intake of breath, she raised the offending damage to the light, eying the burns with an unhappy twist of her lips. With the state of the storm outside, there'd be no chance of finding a stream to help numb the pain.

There was nothing for it.

Softly, she placed her fingers in her mouth, not noticing the subtle shift of intensity in the others gaze as she suckled her wounds lightly.

_xxxxx_

_**Snap**_

The temptation had not pressured his mind, the great Sesshoumaru, in many, many years, the baser of human instincts delegated in the scheme of this current world as a fault of weaker species, youkai and human alike. This Sesshoumaru had never glanced at the most beautiful of demons, yet this simple, human girl's actions mixed with the scent of blood into intoxication yet unfelt by him.

The lord in him was disgusted by it. An equal, perhaps greater, hidden part, loved it.

The depth of his breaths increasing, the demons eyes snapped sharply into the darkness outside their temporary haven.

_xxxxx_

**_Dragon_.**

"You've been burned."

"You know, when you want to ask a question, you don't have to end it like a statement."

His stare was long and hard, no trace of humour evident in the hard lines of his expression, and with a huff, Kagome relented. She had never known him to be one for 'banter' anyway. Maybe speaking in statements, exchanging simple answers with no elaboration, was a more entertaining activity than it initially appeared.

"There was a dragon."

Her lips twisted with immature delight at the annoyance that flitted across his expression, as she provided no further explanation. This _was_ fun.

_xxxxx_

_**Comb**_

With conversation ended, it seemed to Sesshoumaru almost _spite_ when the small woman began her task of finger combing, her ecstatic enthusiasm revealing _much _as excess water soaked through the already skin-tight material around her form. In Kagome eyes, she was bored, and with the strange weather outside –reminding her of long forgotten, _thundery _Brothers– she was taking advantage of her rapidly drying hair.

It was completely alien to her why the demons agitation seemed to grow, and she couldn't care less. In fact, a malicious grin sneaking onto her lips, she could probably put it to _dogs_ and weather.

_xxxxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


	4. Beached by a storm: part two

**Howl**

If he wanted a conversation, Kagome noted in _complete_ and _utter_ frustration, all he had to do was _initiate_ one.

Annoyance laced her actions as she first shifted to the left, hands leaving their previous activity of playing with the wet mop that was her hair, to tapping the ground in a tuneless rhythm. Her other hand moved over to flick away some annoying streaks of stone dust from her palms, causing her palms to sting once more – the burns blistering, she could _see them rising – _and with a whined howl, she stuck both hands fist deep into her hair.

**Howl** (2/4)

In the silence and intermittent rain, the gravity of the situation sunk in, as if dissolved right through her pores, small arms wrapping tighter around her torso, clutching in her remaining warmth._Inuyasha_. Would he be able to find her? Her departure had been abrupt - she hadn't expected to be targeted - and she had been lucky to escape with only minor burns.

The howl of the demon rang in her ears - her mind whispered: stupid.

Unable to dwell on herself any more, Kagome glanced around her surroundings, the small, dark interior of the cave, finding comfort in the impassive detachment of her pale companion.

**Howl** (3/4)

The silence was grating on the ears, both the delicately pointed and the softened round curve, that on closer inspection, appeared to be tinted blue. She was freezing, but her desperation to hide the faint trembles of her limbs and back had forced casualness into her manner, her strength to uphold her convictions remarkable.

His eyes followed her movements as the faint tremors rocked her intermittently, a dark annoyance stirring in his gut at her petulant _childish_ refusal to acknowledge him.

Soft brown eyes glanced to his abruptly, as if in response to his thoughts, and his attention returned to _her_.

**Howl** (4/4)

"Stop peeking."

Jolted from his thoughts and by the break in the silence, the long slant of his stare focused with sharper intensity on the half-dressed enigma in his company. Her shrewd gaze narrowed, petulant brown eying the pointedly bored expression of the other youkai as a hand gestured broadly to the area just above her heart.

"I see your eyes wandering, _inu_. I'm surprised you aren't howling your intentions."

Dispassionate eyes glanced once back at the woman, lip curling at her over exaggerated show of covering herself, tone clipping around his response. "That would be the action of _wolves_."

**Clashing of wills**

The darkness within the cave deepened, the silence stretching between them increasingly uncomfortable with their distinct awareness of each other. Tired of the stream of _passive aggression_ vibes, Kagome turned back to face the taller shadow of the man, unsurprised to find his dark eyes already on her. It only set to prove her previous hypothesis, and brow rising, she assumed a sweet smile, meeting the ferocity of his gaze easily.

She was nothing but a barely-dressed, shivering huddle of woman, lost and isolated in this forest, with inherent powers she couldn't use, yet her wide eyes pierced the gloom with easy ferocity. Her aim was off by a meter, ensuring the worst of the severity to be lost to a section of stone, but the belligerent intensity of her expression made clear her impression of him.

"There are marked differences between species, woman." Significance weighed heavily in the softly spoken words, his memory flitting back to the wolf she spoke of, a power infused _mutt_ that often joined her company. The reminder of the smell of human blood, soaked in the matted-fur loincloth the _mutt_ wore for clothing accompanied the image, and with disgust, his gaze glanced back to hers with derision, scorn twisting the curve of his upper lip. "I am not like your pet _mutt_."

Her reaction to his words was unexpected, a flare of powerful, stinging energy throwing the darkness of the cave into sharp relief. Her hands wrapped tighter around her arrow, her last one, as she pointed the arrow tip at him shakily, glistening eyes gleaming with annoyance.

"As if you don't know anything about being a _mutt._"

"At least I don't feast on humans."

The angle of the arrow tilted sharply, lowering slowly until the point rested against the damp stone with a small 'oh.'

**Buttoned up.**

After a while, Kagome glanced back towards him, something softened in the honey-brown gaze as it made her way across the beautiful, elegant form of his posture, caught within the aura of calm that surrounded him. She had never taken him for someone who'd _appreciate_ calm, and this little revelation left her buttoned up.

The defiant energy that had flared within her a while ago had flickered out, the absence of emotion leaving her chest strangely deflated. Her teeth worried her lower lip, her eyes switching back to the scene outside, and with a blink of surprise, her heart skipped at the brighter scene.

**Guilt**

The air of the cave seemed to thin, shadows scuttling back to smaller creases in the rock, widening the open space. With the coming of the light, her thoughts centred back to the man in her company, fingering a button, she glanced inevitably back to the long form across from her. He hadn't moved from his position since they had last spoken, legs crossed in an easy lotus position, silver strands of hair gleaming in the light of day as gravity and time evaporated the last reminders of the rain.

Sheepish guilt crept into her expression with the clarity brought by the light.

**Scarlet**

Face flushing with scarlet embarrassment, Kagome swept her gaze away from him to the floor, sweeping across the small space for something else to perch on. A bewildered, unhappy pout tweaked her lips as her teeth worked self-consciously at her lip– when had she decided it'd be a good idea to _goad _him? Her expression furrowed, tightening her grip around her pink vest, a disappointed anger settling in her chest_._ Her behaviour was _childish _at best. Clearing her throat, her voice broke the silence softly.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Narrowed eyes watched the small, hunched form before him, annoyance lacing a growing sense of confusion within the demon. The movement of her thoughts and emotions were a whirlwind, almost impossible to follow, and as such, he was left, decidedly, at a loss.

Sharpening his tone, his eyes were close on her as he addressed her. "_Woman_. You will explain. _Everything._" After a short pause, his head bowed slowly, the demon unfolding himself to rise, making soft, padded steps across the short distance between them. Folding into a graceful seat once more, his eyes caught hers levelly, ensuring he had her attention, _her full attention,_ before the quiet whisper: "please."

**Heart**

Her eyes followed the glance of the golden gaze, alighting on the dark crimson stain that crossed her left side. Eyes widening with the realisation, she reached to the wound, wincing as her fingers brushed the still-damp cloth, and the realisation was stark as it was evident that after what must have been an hour, the wound still was not clotting.

_Damn it. _Her injuries were worse than she thought. Her glance slid past him to the turbulent patchwork of clouds outside, and the ensuing delay that would ensure that the time her 'pack' reached her... it would likely be too late.

She glanced back to his eyes, taking in the rare degree of patience that filtered through, the stoicism of his features a calm contrast to the storm outside. However, that was_ all; _there was no animosity, there, boiling beneath the surface, for what must have been the first time since she had met him. A small smile tweaked her lips as her eyes skimmed his features, fixing this moment within her mind as one of those strange, rare memories - and the reason struck her; whilst she had not thought of her wound as life threatening, he _knew_.

"It's surprising to see _you_ with a heart, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The admission was frank, and her smile gleamed crookedly as their eyes met again. A shard of sunlight sparkled in her eyes, flashing with a mischievous glint, even though the light outside was still mostly obscured by cloud. He blinked, breaking away from her proximity as his eyes glanced to himself, and the short distance between them. With another blink, he had pushed himself away, not noticing the way she bit her trembling lip.


End file.
